This invention relates to a method for the immobilization of an enzyme by use of light.
At present, enzymes are extensively utilized for the manufacture of pharmaceutical products and food products, for the decomposition, synthesis and determination of various substances and for other purposes.
In enzymatic reactions carried out for these purposes, enzymes immobilized as by being entrapped within microorganic cells, deposited on carriers, combined with each other or similarly treated exhibit enhanced activities for longer lengths of time as compared with enzymes which are used in unimmobilized forms and are, furthermore easier to handle. Thus, there have heretofore been proposed numerous methods for immobilizing enzymes by use of specific reagents or cross-linking agents. Examples of U.S. patents which disclose these methods are U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,442, U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,222, U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,617, U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,618 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,587.
Besides, a method whereby immobilization of an enzyme is effected by use of light has been disclosed in "Chemical Abstracts," Vol. 85, page 244, 106024f. This method immobilizes a given enzyme by using an oligomer as a carrier and subjecting the enzyme to a cross-linking thermal reaction and a cross-linking photoreaction in the presence of an initiator for thereby causing the enzyme to be entrapped in the lattice of the resultant gelled polymer.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for easily immobilizing a given enzyme with substantially no inactivation of the enzyme by use of light.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method for producing an immobilized enzyme preparation possessing desired mechanical properties.